Arvada Press July 17, 2025

WEEK OF JULY 17, 2025

ARVADA’S ANNUAL FOURTH OF JULY CELEBRATION

Community Table opens new building

Food bank welcomes back clients at larger facility

BY RYLEE DUNN

After months of preparation, Community Table opened the doors of its new location at 4600 W. 60th Avenue, inviting clients to shop at the state-of-the-art facility.

e nonpro t held its opening day of the new building on July 8, and while CEO Sandy Martin said there are still kinks to be worked out, the rst day was a success.

“We were open for our rst day of shopping yesterday and it went pretty good,” Martin said. “We got a lot of lovely comments from our clients and the volunteers just love it. It really is an amazing facility now and we’re just wading our way through and living in the facility to see what changes we need to make. All the feedback has been terri c.”

Martin said that folks were able to use public transit to access the new facility, which is located near the 60th Avenue and Sheridan Boulevard G-Line stop.

She added that the food bank will make some small changes to make the shopping process easier, such as adding a Ring Doorbell that allows desk sta to talk with

HUD cuts threaten 55 Arvada households

Federal funding up in the air as rents rise

BY RYLEE DUNN RDUNN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Fifty- ve households receiving assistance in Arvada might see their funding cut o , as the Department of Housing and Urban Development has informed the Arvada Housing Authority that they are anticipating funding cuts in the near future.

Carrie Espinosa, Arvada’s manager of housing preservation and resources, presented at the July 8 Arvada Housing Authority meeting — which is composed of the seven city councilmembers — and discussed the challenges facing the city’s housing assistance program.

Espinosa said that the formula that HUD uses to allocate funding includes an in ation factor informed by fair market rents that has mostly stayed stagnant as rents have increased. is has left the city with a $925,000 budget shortfall.

“What we have is a situation where our budget fell at, but our costs continue to increase, which puts us in a shortfall situation,” Espinosa said. “At this time, we are projecting about a $925,000 (shortfall) come December 2025. We are closely working with our local HUD o ce and the HUD shortfall prevention team to determine what those are.”

She added that the city applied for additional funding in June, but won’t know if that funding is approved for a few months. If the funding doesn’t come through, up to 55 households in Arvada might lose their housing.

clients before they come in, making sure folks don’t accidentally go to the business to the west instead of the correct door and helping people avoid the volunteer/sta area.

Community Table hosted elected ocials from Adams and Je erson Counties and residents of the abutting neighborhood, Arlington Meadows, for tours of the new facility.

“We just appreciate how supportive the community is and how everybody’s kind of going with the ow and allowing us to, you know, get the kinks out of this and make this a really wonderful experience for them,” Martin said. “We just love the new building.”

“HUD has stated that they are anticipating funding cuts in the near future and they are telling housing authorities to take steps to decrease the overall number of families they serve,” Espinosa said. “We are in conversation with HUD about what that looks like.”

When asked what would happen to the 55 households if they lost their housing, Epinosa said there was a high chance they would be evicted. Espinosa also noted that there were over 3,000 waitlist applications in January and that the waitlist will now remain stagnant as these changes are sorted out.

Arvada’s Fourth of July celebrations at Stenger Sports Complex had a slight issue at the top of the show but otherwise went smoothly. See Story on Page 2. COURTESY CITY OF ARVADA

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Arvadans celebrate Fourth of July

City hosts annual fireworks show; other residents hold illegal displays

BY RYLEE DUNN RDUNN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Arvada’s Fourth of July celebration looked to be in trouble after a rework mis red at the start of the city’s annual reworks show, but after o cials con rmed that no one was hurt, the show went o without a hitch.

All told, almost 12,000 people gathered at Stenger Sports Complex for the annual reworks display.

“We were pleased to host another successful reworks display this year,” Adelle Burton, Arvada’s special events public arts manager said. “With the valued support of the City’s Parks team, Arvada Police Department, and Arvada Fire Protection District, nearly 12,000 community members joined the festivities at Stenger Sports Complex last Friday.

“ e professional reworks show was coordinated by Western Enterprises, with support from Arvada Fire,” Burton said. “We appreciate the collaboration and e orts of all partners who contributed to a safe and enjoyable event for our community.”

Arvada Fire responds to firework-related incidents e rest of Arvada — where reworks are illegal — did not have the same seamless Fourth of July celebrations as the folks at Stenger did, as Arvada Fire responded to 13 rework-related incidents on July 4 and 5.

While the department reported on Facebook that none of the incidents caused injuries or damage to homes, the result could have been di erent had the wind picked up, the post said.

“Of these incidents, the largest occurred at approximately 9:40 PM on July 4 o W. 78th Dr. in the Spring Mesa neighborhood,” Arvada Fire’s Facebook post said. “Station 59, responding with a brush truck and engine, found a re less than an acre in size burning in an open eld near homes.

“Burning in ashy fuels, the re’s ame height was several feet,” the post continued. “Engine 59 attacked the west ank with a 1 ¾ bumper line and Brush 59 attacked the east ank with a hose reel. ey had water on the re within three minutes of being on scene and placed the re under control in less than 10 minutes.”

According to the post, the C and B Shift crews worked to contain the res. One individual was issued a citation, according to the Arvada Police.

Funding freeze threatens Je co student services

Superintendent warns of impact from frozen federal education grants

BY SUZIE GLASSMAN SUZIE@COTLN.ORG

ousands of Je co students could lose access to language support, counseling and community-based services this school year after the U.S. Department of Education froze key federal funding streams with little warning.

e decision puts approximately $3 million in planned programming at risk, district leaders said.

Superintendent Tracy Dorland and the Jefferson County school board called the move “late and unexpected,” warning that the district had already budgeted the funds for professional development, English learner support, student engagement and family outreach.

“Failure to release these funds creates signi cant impacts on our student programming at a time when Je co is already drawing on reserves and preparing for substantial reductions in FY 27,” a district spokesperson said.

Enrollment declines are expected to further impact funding, with a projected loss of 800 students per year in both 2026–27 and 2027–28. Because Colorado ties K–12 funding to student count, that drop will lead to additional revenue loss and potential sta ng reductions.

Colorado ranks 43rd in the nation for perpupil education funding, a reality that leaves districts like Je co especially vulnerable to sudden shifts in federal support.

Core student supports now at risk e programs impacted by the freeze are central to Je co’s e orts to support its diverse and increasingly high-needs student population.

In an internal message to sta obtained by the Colorado Trust for Local News, Dorland said the now-frozen funding had been budgeted to cover educator coaching, English as a Second Language and newcomer services, dropout prevention, truancy interventions and community outreach programs.

Dorland called the situation “deeply challenging,” noting in the email that the frozen funds had been budgeted for “essential student services and educator support.”

schools with high poverty rates, is not a ected by the freeze.

But the complementary services funded through Titles II, III, and IV are now in jeopardy, which undermines Je co’s capacity to provide wraparound supports that help keep students in school and engaged.

“We are also seeking community partners to help ll critical service gaps, especially for the students and families who rely most on these important services,” Dorland said.

Advocacy and uncertainty

In her message to sta , Dorland described the funding freeze as “a deeply challenging situation that we did not create and cannot fully control,” but said Je co was taking action on multiple fronts.

e district is actively advocating for the immediate release of the funds.

Dorland and the board of education added their names to the Joint Statement From Colorado Education Stakeholders on Withholding of Federal Funds, calling on the U.S. Department of Education to immediately release these congressionally appropriated funds and provide clear, public guidance to state and local education systems.

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Because of federal supplanting rules, the district is legally barred from using its general fund to ll the gap, even if the federal funding is restored later.

A district already under strain

Even before the freeze, the district was grappling with a $60 million structural decit heading into the 2025–26 school year. Despite closing 21 schools and making $20 million in cuts since 2021, the district still faces mounting cost pressures tied to in ation, compensation increases and growing special education needs.

“If the funds are not released in the next month, we will be forced to reduce or eliminate some programming that was budgeted and planned for this year,” she said.

Je co currently serves more than 4,700 English learners, about 6.4% of its total enrollment, according to data from the Colorado Department of Education.

Dorland noted that the district is seeing an increase in newcomer students, many of whom face language barriers and require both academic and emotional support to thrive.

e Title III funds now frozen are intended to help districts meet those needs.

Title I funding, which is used to support

At the same time, district leaders are reviewing 2025 carryover funds and evaluating the feasibility of continuing some programs temporarily.

Sta ng decisions will follow established collective bargaining agreements, with impacted employees prioritized for reassignment wherever possible.

“Above all, we remain focused on protecting the student experience and minimizing disruption wherever possible,” Dorland said.

With the school year weeks away and no clear federal guidance, Je co faces tough choices, district leaders said. ey are urging families and community partners to stay informed and, where possible, help advocate for the release of the frozen funds.

12,000 people came out to watch the fireworks show. COURTESY CITY OF ARVADA

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‘Golden Real Estate’ Is Now ‘Century 21 Golden Real Estate’

Notice the logo at the bottom right corner of this ad. It’s unchanged except for the addition of the “CENTURY 21®” branding. Last week, I finalized an “asset purchase agreement” with the owner of several other Century 21 franchise branches in Colorado, headquartered at Century 21 Elevated Real Estate in Grand Junction.

They also purchased the Century 21 branch across the street from us in downtown Golden, and will be closing that office, inviting its agents to affiliate with our office.

quickly attracted some broker associates, which made the enterprise more viable.

I followed through on my sustainability values by adding 5kW of rooftop solar panels and, later on, another 15kW of ground-mounted solar panels to power not only the office and its heat pump HVAC system, but also my electric vehicles, those of my broker associates, and even those of the general public. It was a good life.

— What It Means to You (and Me)

my continuation of this column by contacting me if you’d like to buy or list a home. If I can’t serve you myself, I’ll refer you to the

broker associate who I believe will serve you with the same professionalism as I would. Thanks for your support!

What’s In and What’s Out With Kitchen Improvements

This is a big change for me, of course. I started Golden Real Estate, Inc., the same month that Steve Jobs introduced the iPhone in 2007.

At the time, I had been a RE/MAX Alliance broker associate for four years. I was purchasing a building on South Golden Road (currently the Golden Outpost), and RE/MAX wouldn’t allow it to be a RE/MAX office, because there were already three franchise offices (including my own) within a few miles. My solution was to start a new brokerage, which I was able to do, having attained licensure as an “employing broker” the year before. My vision had been to create a new RE/MAX franchise with the name “RE/MAX Sustainable Living.”

A big reason (for me) to purchase that building was its frontage on South Golden Road, where I could park the box truck which I was providing free to buyers and sellers. At the RE/MAX office, the truck was parked out of sight behind their office building. On South Golden Road it would stand as a billboard promoting me.

So, Golden Real Estate, Inc. was born, and I

Toward the end of the Covid-19 pandemic, a storefront became available next to the Ace Hi Tavern, and I moved Golden Real Estate into it, renting out the building on South Golden Road, but continuing to park our box truck there. Finally, I sold the building to Joe & Stacy Fowler of the Golden Hayride, who have done an amazing job of converting it into a venue called the Golden Outpost. I’m so impressed with their improvement of the site.

So what does this change to a Century 21 branch mean to you, my readers and clients? Not much, really. All our broker associates have signed on with the new owners, and I’m committing to staying as managing broker for another 12 months, after which I may stay or choose to retire. Since I’ll be 78 years old, probably the latter.

One difference you’ll notice is that this advertising becomes my sole expense, not the company’s, so I’ll continue it as long as it brings me clients. I will continue to promote our broker associates’ listings, as you see below with Greg Kraft’s new listing in Belmar, and get a small referral fee from them when I refer a reader who contacts me about listing or buying a home. In other words, please support

The National Kitchen & Bath Association recently published a report on the changes in kitchen design. Fortunately, the National Association of Realtors (NAR) summarized the report, which would cost you $2,995 to purchase. Here are some of what was written. (Find a link to the full NAR article at http:// RealEstateToday.substack.com.)

“Kitchens in 2025 are becoming about self -expression, combined with playful sophistication. As such, the colors and materials homeowners choose are becoming important—and they’re moving beyond just white,” says the NAR article.

“Color is leading the charge. Seventy-one percent of design respondents say their clients prefer colorful kitchens that reflect personali-

ty. Whether subtly or boldly, color is entering the kitchen, with pops of color being brought in through backsplashes, kitchen islands, wallpapers and even accent walls,” says the article.

The top trending kitchen colors? Green, blue, and brown — in that order. All-white and all-gray kitchens are giving way to earth tones.

Retro is in. “Design elements of the 1950s and 1970s are showing up in kitchens today,” the article says. That’s good news for a listing I have coming up next month in Golden’s Beverly Heights. It has a wood cooking stove that is only avail-able for purchase outside of closing. 47% of kitchen professionals also tout minimalism in cabinetry and hardware.

These Past ‘Real Estate Today’ Columns May Interest You

Clickable links for each column can be found at www.JimSmithColumns.com

May 29, 2025 — Divorcing Couples With a Home Need a Realtor With Specialized Training

May 22, 2025 — Home Sharing Helps Single Seniors Deal With Finance and Loneliness, Allowing Them to Age in Place

April 24, 2025 — Lennar to Build 1,500 Geothermal Homes; My Review of the Mustang Mach E

April 17, 2025 — Redfin Report Highlights the Increasing Cost of Buying versus Renting a Home

June 6, 2024 — Here Are Some Simple Steps to Take to Avoid Unpleasant Surprises After Closing

Mar. 21, 2024 — What’s Behind the Buzz About ‘Indoor Air Quality’ and ‘Sick Building Syndrome’?

Feb. 22, 2024 — Most Sellers Don’t Know How to Interview a Listing Agent. Here’s Some Guidance.

Dec. 21, 2023 — D.R. Horton Inks Deal to Build Homes With OSB Made From Grass Instead of Wood

posted on our Real Estate Today Substack blog. Scan the QR code at left to open and subscribe to it — free of course. Each article and listing is there, often with additional content and graphics, plus useful hyperlinks.

My other Substack is Talking Turkey, a left-of-center political blog. It is not in print anywhere. Click on the QR code at right if you would like to see what I have to say.

Just Listed: 1-Bedroom Condo in Heart of Belmar

$419,900

April 10, 2025 — The Typical Wood-Frame, SiteBuilt Home So Common Since the ’90s May Soon Be a Thing of the Past

Mar. 27, 2025 — Here’s How Money Is Handled at a Real Estate Closing

Mar. 20, 2025 — Thinking of Using a Reverse Mortgage to Purchase a Home? Here’s Some Information

Mar. 13, 2025 — Will Colorado Be Able to Sustain Its ‘Green Agenda’ Under Pressure From Washington?

Mar. 6, 2025 — 62% of Americans Think a 20% Down Payment Is Required, But It’s the #1 Myth

Nov. 23, 2023 — Scamming Has Become An Industry, and We’re All Prospective Victims

Sept. 28, 2023 — Insurance Companies Are Pulling Out of California. Is That in Our Future?

Aug. 10, 2023 — What Are Some Common Mistakes That Homeowners Make When Selling?

June 15, 2023 — Don’t Let Capital Gains Tax Deter You From Cashing Out on an Investment Property

May 11, 2023 — Do Agents Inflate the Cost of Buying or Selling Your Home with ‘Junk Fees’?

Apr. 20, 2023 — What Are Some Affordable Ways to Make Your Home More Attractive to Buyers?

This penthouse condo at 7130 W. Alaska Dr. #D offers incredible views and natural light with floor to ceiling windows on the north and south facing walls. Hardwood floors throughout except for the main bedroom and office, which are carpeted. A wall mounted 65" flatscreen TV is in the living room and there is an electric fireplace. There is a second electric fireplace in the bedroom. The kitchen is completely equipped with GE stainless steel appliances and there are granite countertops for easy cleaning. The stacked washer/dryer is located in a closet along the hallway and in an adjacent closet is the Climate Master Water Source Heat Pump which was installed in March 2020 at a cost of $8,000. This unit provides superior and reliable heating and cooling throughout the year. There is a deeded parking space and storage area (#6) on the 2nd floor of the adjacent parking structure. A flexible non-conforming bonus room offers space for an office or other needs. Located in the heart of Belmar, shopping, restaurants and other amenities are only footsteps from the front door. Come enjoy the convenience of this great condo. See listing agent Greg Kraft’s narrated video tour at www. GRElistings.com, or call him at 720-353-1922 to see it.

Condo in Denver’s Morningside Complex

$250,000

Rarely does one find a condo complex that is so well managed and provides so many amenities for the monthly dues. Heat and hot water are included. This unit at 3460 S. Poplar St. #307 in the Morningside complex has been nicely updated except for the kitchen, with new flooring and an enclosed balcony. The building's laundry room serves only as backup, since you have a spacious laundry room in the unit. When visiting, there's a keycard so you can visit the community center across the street at 7100 S Poplar. You'll be so impressed at the condition of the indoor and outdoor swimming pools, the separate spas for men & women, each including a steam room, sauna and fitness equipment. Included is one reserved space in the secure garden-level garage. A storage locker is also included. Take my narrated video tour of both the condo and the fitness center at www.GRElistings.com, then call me at 303-525-1851 to arrange a private showing. You’ll agree with me, this is one of the best condo communities ever!

Feb. 27, 2025 — As Society Deals With Homelessness and Affordability, Expect a Greater Focus on Manufactured Homes

Feb. 20, 2025 — We Have a Tool to Help You Find the ‘Perfect’ Home That’s Not on the MLS

Dec. 26, 2024 — As Pro-Tenant Laws Expand, Some Small Landlords Are Considering Cashing Out

Dec. 19, 2024 — What Are the Costs of Buying or Selling a Home in Colorado?

Nov. 7, 2024 — We Need to Take Seriously the Pollutants Emitted When Cooking With Gas

Oct. 31, 2024 — Cooperative Living Presents an Attractive Alternative for Downsizing Seniors

Sept. 26, 2024 — Some Thoughts on Keeping Your Death From Becoming an Undue Burden on Your Heirs

Sept. 5, 2024 — What Knowledge and Skills Should You Expect Your Real Estate Agent to Have?

Aug. 8, 2024 — Seniors Over 70 Might Consider Downsizing Into a Rental, Not a Smaller Home

July 25, 2024 — Many Homeowners Don’t Understand Title Issues, Which Could Lead to Big Problems Later On

Mar. 16, 2023 — Here Are Some Ways to Make Your Home More Accommodating to Seniors Feb. 9, 2023 — Understanding Indoor Air Quality and How It’s Managed in Super-Insulated Homes

Oct. 27, 2022 — Sales Taxes May Be Lower, But Property Taxes Are Higher in Unincorporated Areas

Oct. 6, 2022 — How to Make Sure That the House You Buy Will Not Be a ‘Money Pit’ Sept. 22, 2022 — What Steps Can You Take to Make Your Home More Energy Efficient?

July 28, 2022 — Aging in Place vs. Moving to a 55+ Community: Here Are Some Considerations

May 26, 2022 — Reflections on Selling Our Home and Moving Into a 55+ Rental Community

Jan. 6, 2022 — Marshall Fire Is a Wake-up Call for Building More Fire-Resistant Homes

Dec. 2, 2021 — My Favorite Home Improvements When Purchasing a New-to-Me Home

Oct. 14, 2021 — Court Rules That Sending an Email Can Bind You, Even Without Signing It Oct. 7, 2021 — What Are the Most Common Foundation Issues You Might Encounter in a Home?

Arvada seeking entries for photo contest

BY RYLEE DUNN RDUNN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

e city of Arvada is looking for submissions for its latest photo contest, which celebrates the city’s parks and open spaces. Called the Parks and Recreation Month Photo Contest, the competition coincides with the city’s recognition of July as Parks and Recreation Month.

Residents are invited to submit up to three photos taken before July 2025 anytime before Sunday, July 20, along with the photographer’s name and the location where the photo was taken. From the contest entries, city sta will select ve to 10nalists before the community votes on one winner from July 23 to 29. e winner will be announced on ursday, July 31.  e nalists will receive prizes such as a punch pass to the Apex Park and Recreation District, an Olde Town gift card, an 18-hole round of golf for two at Lake Arbor Golf Course and city of Arvada swag bags.

Arvada’s Communications Manager for Vibrant Community and Neighborhoods, Sean Star, said the contest was a tting way to honor Arvada’s parks.

“Arvada is home to some truly incredible parks, trails and open spaces, and this contest is a fun way to highlight the beauty and joy these places bring to our community,” Star said. “We’re excited to see these cherished outdoor spaces through the eyes of our residents and visitors — and to celebrate how they make Arvada such a vibrant place to live, work and play.”

In the past, the city has held photo contests for other topics, such as Wild Arvada and Hidden Gems, the former of which garnered about 130 entries while the latter saw 80. A representative for the city said that a quilter and a watercolor painter requested copies of photos that inspired their art after the contest ran in the past.  Submissions can be sent to enage@arvada.org.

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Colorado considers challenging ‘energy emergency’

Feds invoked January declaration to fast-track expansion of rain

BY DAVID

facility

Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser’s o ce will consider joining a lawsuit challenging President Donald Trump’s declaration in January of a national energy emergency, he told Newsline in an exclusive interview.

e Trump administration’s Bureau of Land Management invoked the emergency declaration to complete accelerated environmental review of a permit to expand a loading facility near Price, Utah for oil coming out of the nearby Uinta Basin. e expansion could increase oil capacity on the main rail line through Colorado by up to 80,000 barrels a day.

It’s anticipated that the expansion of what’s known as the Wildcat Loadout facility — located on publicly owned federal lands — and other nearby facilities will allow the trucking and transfer to rail of up to 75% of the oil proposed for transport in the Uinta Basin Railway project. Eagle County and state o cials have long opposed increased oil trains along the Colorado River.

In a June 27 letter to Jerry Davis, acting Utah state director for the BLM, Weiser wrote that an expedited environmental assessment for the proposed Wildcat right-of-way expansion would be a “violation of applicable laws and regulations” that would block proper public input and “subject Colorado communities to signi cant economic, environmental, and health and safety risks.”

Weiser argued there is no national energy emergency given the United States produced more oil last year than any nation in history, and he urged the BLM to follow standard, legally required procedures in reviewing the project. An attorney for Eagle County and an environmental group that successfully sued the federal government to delay the rail project, also sent letters.

However, the BLM issued its approval, nding “no signi cant impact” related to the expansion, which Colorado opposes due to increased derailment, wild re and oil-spill risks, and the agency directly cited its authority under Trump’s January executive order declaring a national energy emergency, allowing for the fasttracking of fossil fuel projects.

Before a recent fundraiser here for his 2026 gubernatorial campaign, Weiser said he had not heard about the expedited approval of the Wildcat Loadout or

had time to debrief the ruling.

“I am sorry to hear that. I’m not shocked, but it’s a sign of the times we’re in — the lack of stewardship to protect our land, air, and water is appalling,” Weiser said. “We’re going to have to be creative to nd every way we can to make sure that these decisions aren’t being made hastily with long-term, harmful consequences.”

In May, 15 states — led by the attorneys general in Washington and California — led a lawsuit challenging the legality of Trump’s energy emergency executive order. Calling it a “fake” emergency designed to line the pockets of Big Oil, Washington Attorney General Nick Brown pointed to the order’s exclusion of clean energy projects as it strips away vital environmental protections. e May lawsuit claims Trump’s declaration of a national energy emergency is a violation of the National Emergencies Act itself, which is designed to prevent frivolous or partisan declarations.

“We don’t think it is a real emergency,” Weiser said Saturday. “Up until now, this national energy emergency order hasn’t a ected Colorado. But given these dynamics (of the expedited BLM approval), we’re going to be looking at that to make sure that we can do all we can to protect Colorado.”

Brown and California Attorney General Rob Bonta cited what they deemed illegal fast-tracking of environmental reviews by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation in violation of the Clean Water Act and the Endangered Species Act, among other key environmental laws.

“ e only ‘emergency’ is that the president disagrees with policies to address climate change in Washington state and elsewhere,” Brown wrote in May. “He is illegally using emergency authorities to keep the nation reliant on energy sources like coal, oil and gas.”

Weiser has previously said he will keep all of his options open in opposing the Uinta Basin oil expansion as it seeks to vastly expand oil-train tra c along the headwaters of the endangered Colorado River, which supplies water to more than 40 million people. e BLM approval in a two-week window now has him questioning Trump’s national energy emergency rules.

“So we didn’t have an ability to make this case [back in May], but we at the time said that we would be looking closely at whether and when it would a ect Colorado and we’d be ready to le,” Weiser said Saturday. “And with this, now we have to look at it.”

is story is from Colorado Newsline. Used by permission. For more, and to support the news organization, visit coloradonewsline.com.

A winner of a past photo contest had their photo featured on the Arvada Report.

COURTESY CITY OF ARVADA

O. WILLIAMS COLORADO NEWSLINE

A Union Pacific train travels along the Colorado River near Cameo on May 16, 2023. CHASE WOODRUFF

Taste of Arvada brings together local eateries

Showcase of local bites and sips dodges rainstorm

BY RYLEE DUNN RDUNN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

A rolling thunderstorm cleared just before locals descended upon the Greater Arvada Chamber of Commerce’s annual showcase of the city’s best bites and sips. Once the skies cleared, it was time for folks to sample some of Arvada’s best eateries, bakeries and co ee shops.

Folks lined up around the Apex Center on July 10 to get a taste of the o erings, which ranged from drinks to desserts to mini-dinner plates.

Local organizations, such as the Arvada Historical Society, also participated in the event, which featured appearances by Mayor Lauren Simpson and city councilmembers, including Randy Moorman.

Wichita Run and Deeply Rooted Music School provided the tunes for the occasion, which got folks on their feet and grooving along.

Some of the standout samples included AJ’s Deli and sister restaurant Jack’s Bar and Grill’s chili, 239 Sweet Street’s cookies, Snooze’s Burrata toast and GQue Barbeque’s pork belly and coleslaw, the latter of which earned itself a line around the corner of the gymnasium.

Attendees voted on their favorite samples in a variety of categories. To see the list of winners, check arvadapress.com or next week’s print edition.

Footers Catering gave folks a taste of their cuisine.

The Arvada Historical Society held a table at this year’s event, advertising the upcoming Cemetery Tour.

The Arvada Tavern had desert and drink samples. PHOTOS BY RYLEE DUNN

Food Bank of the Rockies steps up capacity

New facility coming this winter

BY ISABEL GUZMAN IGUZMAN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

In Colorado, one in eight people, and one in seven children struggle with food insecurity, according to Feeding America, which is a national hunger-relief charity. With the proposed new restrictions on SNAP eligibility, Food Bank of the Rockies is preparing for growing needs.

is winter, the food bank will open a new distribution center in Aurora on East 38th Avenue that spans 270,000 squarefeet. e new building will double the cold storage space the organization has for fresh and frozen food, quadruple the kitchen space and triple its volunteering capacity from the current main distribution center at 10700 E. 45th Ave. in Denver.

“We are seeing this increased need that’s coming at a time when just in the last several months, we have lost about 7% of Food Bank of the Rockies’ total food supply in government commodity food,” said Ering Pulling, the organization’s president and CEO. “ at’s why this new building can’t come soon enough.”

e new facility emerges from Food Bank of the Rockies’ $75 million capital campaign, funded by donors. e food bank is 15% away from its nancial goal and Cal Fulenwider, the capital campaign committee chair, and the Fulenwider Family Foundation are providing a $500,000 matching gift.

Amid a slash in government support, Pulling said the new facility is ahead of schedule and costs remain under budget, providing a hopeful glance into the future of the food bank’s new distribution center.

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For Martha King, a volunteer for the food bank since 2020, the bigger space for volunteers to e ciently transport and package food is what she’s looking forward to the most.

“At (the Denver distribution center), we’re always bumping into each other. It’s like I-25 rush hour,” she said.

Food Bank of the Rockies is the largest food bank organization in the region, serving Wyoming and most of Colorado. Since establishing 47 years ago, the organization has grown alongside the growing needs of people facing hunger.

In 1978, Kathy Hackwith Growth began saving bread that was being tossed out by grocery stores, despite still being in good condition. She gave the bread to people and started the Colorado Food Clearing House, which then became Food Bank of the Rockies. Today, the food bank saves food from more than 800 stores and 150 food distributors across Colorado and Wyoming.

Pulling said the food bank has outgrown the current facility after operating there for 19 years — which has limited the amount of food donations it can accept and distribute, in addition to signicantly impacting how many volunteers can be hosted.

e new facility is designed to increase capacity for food storage and volunteering opportunities, enhance e ciency and provide a larger array of fresh produce, Pulling said.

“(By) doubling our refrigeration capacity, I no longer have to worry about not having enough room when met with a great opportunity to bring in produce and perishables,” said Kelly Green, Food Bank of the Rockies’ chief operating ocer. “Sometimes (at our current facility), a load appears and we can’t t it in. So we have to say no and then they go somewhere else.”

In addition to the larger refrigera-

tion area, some food donation receiving docks will also be refrigerated so that if fresh or frozen food arrives after the morning team of volunteers have completed their shift, the load is safely kept in the dock for the next morning.

“When you’re dealing with fresh produce, you’ve got to move with incredible velocity — something an old building simply didn’t allow us to do. But the new facility will allow us to change that, with more loading docks, greater access for our trucks and adequate staging throughout the building,” said Steven Kullberg, chief of sta at Food Bank of the Rockies.

e ability to retain fresh food is a huge advantage that also helps reduce food waste and promote sustainability, Green said.

e new distribution center will also include cardboard recycling via the cardboard bailing system, a machine that compresses and bundles cardboard waste into dense, manageable bales for recycling. e food bank said the revenue generated from recycling cardboard will be reinvested into providing more food.

“I don’t let anything go to waste,” said Patricia Heib, an Arapahoe County resident who has been coming to the Food Bank of the Rockies for groceries for nearly a year after being let go from the U.S. Postal Service.

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e new facility will also have a 13-megawatt solar panel system that will aim to power 100% of the center’s energy. It will also store energy into batteries for back-up power systems in case of an outage, in addition to 10 dual-part vehicle charging stations which will power two trucks for local deliveries.

In February 2023, the solar panels that the food bank installed on top of the Grand Junction facility generated 100 kilowatts — enough power for an electric car to travel the globe 2.4 times — which is about a quarter of the building’s power.

HUD CUTS

“I think most of them would be evicted,” Espinosa said.

She added that the average household size of the at-risk population is about three. Councilmember Sharon Abrose, acting as an AHA commissioner, noted that the average annual income of these individuals is roughly $16,000.

Councilmember Bob Fifer, acting an AHA commissioner, asked Espinosa to report back in 90 days with an update, which Mayor Lauren SImpson, acting as AHA chairperson, concurred with.  “ is completely goes against what this

Heib grew up in a family of six kids and looked after her younger siblings while her parents served in the military and worked. She learned how to make food last and dollars stretch, she said. When she lost her postal service job, she leaned on her church, which connected her with food resources to help her ll her pantry.  at’s when Heib discovered the Food Bank of the Rockies. She said at rst, she felt embarrassed to ask for help, but now is comfortable using local resources to keep food on the table.

“I have a master’s degree in social work. I have worked in human services for years, helping people — and you know what, everybody needs help. Everybody is one paycheck away from needing help,” Heib said.

council has been trying to do,” Fifer said. “ is is the one area that I feel like is the most impactful when it comes to homelessness or soon-to-be unhoused. If this program goes away, this is the thin line between having a home and not. is is where we have to focus all of our attention to stop this.”

Mindy Mohr, a member of Arvadans for Progressive Action, said that the impacted individuals are mostly disabled and elderly.

“ ese are predominantly the disabled and elderly residents that our Housing Authority serves,” Mohr said. “ is would add to the homelessness in Arvada.”  Espinosa said that she would work with Simpson to nd a time to report back to AHA within the next few months.

A long-time Food Bank of the Rockies volunteer, Martha King, speaks on July 8 about the new volunteer space being built at the new distribution center in Aurora. PHOTO BY ISABEL GUZMAN

FROM PAGE 1

Governor vows to fight for school funds

Trump administration abruptly withheld millions

BY DELILAH BRUMER COLORADO NEWLINE

As Colorado school districts wait to hear about the fate of $80 million in federal funds that the Trump administration unexpectedly put on hold, school ocials are reluctant to lay o sta or cancel programs. But with the start of the new school year only six weeks away, time is running out.

e funds, which school o cials had expected to receive on July 1, were set to be used for after-school programs, teacher training, migrant education and English-language learning, among other initiatives. States learned the funds would be withheld with just one day of notice, leaving districts scrambling to fund programs they were already committed to o ering and pay sta whom they had already hired.

Gov. Jared Polis led a roundtable with superintendents, teachers and education nonpro t leaders at West High School in Denver, where he blasted the withholding of funds as “harmful and opaque.” “ ese are very di cult decisions that districts now have to make, and it has to happen in the next couple of weeks,” Polis said.

e federal Department of Education has not provided a timeline on the funds, which in a notice to states it said

BY SARA WILSON COLORADO NEWSLINE

U.S. Sen John Hickenlooper is renewing a call to repeal part of a 19th-century law that conservative activists have used to restrict medication abortion access in cities across the country.

“ ese extreme Republicans and dustcovered laws from 1873 should not be directing a women’s right to make her own health care decisions,” the Colorado Democrat said during a virtual panel with Colorado OB-GYNs and reproductive health leaders.

Hickenlooper is a sponsor of the Stop Comstock Act, which would repeal the Comstock Act of 1873, a measure that outlaws the mailing of “lewd” and “indecent” material. Anti-abortion activists have sought enforcement of the dormant law to essentially enact bans on many abortions, including medication abortions where patients receive mifepristone and other drugs in the mail after consulting with a doctor. Mifepristone is also used in many miscarriage treatments.

e federal tax break and spending cut bill signed into law by President Donald Trump last week cuts Medicaid reimbursements for Planned Parenthood — though that provision was temporarily blocked by a judge — and advocates worry that it could add strain to an already under-attack reproductive health system.

“We know that many of those people (on Medicaid) will not be able to seek care and other institutions or other avenues, and we know that places that are able to continue providing sexual health care are going to face increased demand and increased weight,” said Dr. Rebecca Cohen, a Colorado OB-GYN.

are under review. e funds $6.8 billion nationwide were already approved by Congress. Colorado’s share of that withheld money was originally estimated at $70 million, but Polis said an updated estimate is $80 million.

If the federal funds are not restored, Je erson County Public Schools will lose out on $3.3 million it had already allocated. at would result in cuts to sta and programs meant for coaching new teachers, supporting English language learners, lowering truancy rates and conducting family outreach.

One of the district’s services that would need to be scaled back is a program that sends sta across Je erson County in a refurbished bus to meet with parents, hand out resource yers and sign up kids who are recent immigrants for support services.

“We’re very worried about how to run our programs without that funding,” said Tracy Dorland, Je erson County Public Schools superintendent. “ is has an impact not only on our students, which is the most important impact, but also on our workforce.”

With potential layo s looming, Melissa Gibson, the executive director of the Colorado Association of School Executives, said superintendents and principals are having to make tough choices in the coming weeks.

“Every district leader is approaching this with students at the center and trying to mitigate the damage as much as possible,” Gibson said. “Every school community invests in them in di erent ways, but this is challenging.”

Both of Colorado’s U.S. senators, along with the state’s four Democrats in the House, sent a joint letter to U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon “demanding answers on the stalled education funds,” according to a Tuesday announcement.

“School districts throughout Colorado are depending on these funds to deliver critical services to students across the state,” the letter said. “ e delay and uncertainty around the distribution of this funding have made it incredibly di cult for school districts to plan and hire sta for the next school year.”

During the roundtable, Polis declined to specify if Colorado plans to sue over the withheld funds, but he said the state is “exploring all available options” to get the funding restored.

“We are being very aggressive, to ght for these funds and for the schools,” Polis said. is story is from Colorado Newsline. Used by permission. For more, and to support the news organization, visit coloradonewsline.com.

Hickenlooper renews call to repeal Comstock Act

Pueblo City Council has voted twice since 2022 to oppose a proposed city ordinance that would have used the Comstock Act to restrict abortion access in the city. In October 2024, the council voted 4-3 to kill the ordinance before it moved to a nal vote. If it had passed in Pueblo, it almost certainly would have been struck down due to Colorado’s Reproductive Health Equity Act.

“Abortion opponents have seized on the idea that the Comstock Act could be misused to ban the mailing of mifepristone and other drugs used in medication abortions,” Cobalt President Karen Middleton said.

Backers of the so-called “Sanctuary Cities for the Unborn” project have helped over 20 local governments, mostly in Tex-

as, pass ordinances to ban abortion by enforcing the federal law, most recently Big Sandy in Texas with a population of about 1,300.

Hickenlooper called the legislative effort a “marathon.” Republicans hold a 53-47 majority in the U.S. Senate and a 220-212 majority in the U.S. House of Representatives.

“ e issue with this circumstance, like every circumstance, is there are a number of reasonable, moderate Republicans that have been pushed to the corner, and they are threatened with primaries with tens of billions of dollars against them if they violate anything that the White House is trying to push,” he said. “At some point, when we have a breakthrough election, this will be the kind of thing — all the debris that

is accumulated from the Trump years — we’ll be able to clean it out.”

Melisa Hidalgo-Cuellar, the chair of the Cobalt Abortion Fund, said the organization has seen a nearly 1,200% increase in funding for people accessing care at telehealth-only clinics that mail abortion medication to patients. It can be di cult to travel to a brick-and-mortar clinic for people without reliable transportation, who don’t have child care or who live far from a physical clinic.

“You really see that people are opting for this because it’s a more convenient and a ordable option for a lot of abortion seekers,” Hidalgo-Cuellar said.

Hickenlooper’s bill was assigned to the Senate Judiciary Committee when it was introduced.

is story is from Colorado Newsline. Used by permission. For more, and to support the news organization, visit coloradonewsline.com.

Gov. Jared Polis gestures to the gallery while delivering an address at the Colorado Capitol. FILE PHOTO

Sen. John Hickenlooper, shown here touring an orphaned oil well in Adams County in 2023, is renewing a call to repeal part of a 19th-century law that conservative activists have used to restrict medication abortion access. FILE PHOTO

Keep dreaming and moving forward

My MS symptoms have been more acute this week. It is not that they are getting worse; it is just that things have been harder to do these past few days. Walking takes more energy than I would like, getting in and out of the car is more difcult, things like that. As I have navigated through this week, I have been thinking a lot about dreams and goals. I have wondered if I have set ridiculous or unattainable goals for myself. And gone as far as to grapple with the question, “Are dreams for the future a good thing, not particularly helpful but not a bad thing, or in some way detrimental to our view of reality?”

While mulling over these questions, I realized we all, at some point, struggle with this kind of question. So, I want to share a window into my thought process, hoping you will nd encouragement in

WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT

American culture has many virtues. Near the top is society’s languid, easygoing, unhurried pace. It borders on torpor. It’s uplifting to observe strangers smiling and o ering greetings when they pass and so many rolling with punches, not getting into ti s over trivial slights. And you can’t beat the civility, comity, and respect with which Americans treat each other, even those with whom they strongly disagree. But what warms the heart’s cockles most is the populace’s appreciation for goodnatured ribbing, chuckle-causing humor, which can only be attributed to Americans being one big happy family.

Okay, back to Earth. What was your reaction while reading that? Were you ba ed, scratching your head? Did you smile, catching the irony? Did it induce some other reaction, perhaps causing you to have an eye-popping, jaw-tightening, teeth-grinding sensation? Or was it between or a blend of lightheartedness and intensity?

American culture has an array of virtues, but, of course, none of those listed above. And therein lies our problem. We’re a frenetic people, which Merriam-Webster de nes as “marked by fast and energetic, disordered, or anxietydriven activity.”

My intention here isn’t to deliberate on American virtues but to ascertain why we’re not only a hurrying people but also why it’s a prime cause of our fragmentation. It comes down a four-letter word: T-I-M-E. We’ve been subjugated by it and blithely march in accordance with its directive.

Our language reinforces that. ink about why we call the time piece many wear on their wrist a “watch.” ink of verbs associated with time like spend or earn, gain or lose, use or waste. Each treats time as a commodity, an object, something tangible. at’s discon-

the ideas I put forth. For me, physically, I dream of completing a 5K. My rst choice would be to do it at a jog, but honestly, just being able to cover that distance, even if it were with the aid of a walking stick, would be very exciting. is dream is why, when on a particularly bad day, I nd myself counter sur ng to just move around a room, I wonder if visions of a 5K help or hinder me?

After looking at it from many di erent sides, I have concluded that dreams and goals are not only good for me, but they are the best thing I can do. Dreams set standards for me beyond my immediate.

ey give me something to work toward. More than that, they keep me from boxing myself in or limiting my world. My dreams keep me doing my exercises, and slowly, I am watching my strength return. ere are dangers in dreams and goals. Dreams that come with inaction are little more than the equivalent of our mind’s behavior as a couch potato. We watch reels of what we can imagine, but never strive to reach that place. We can become complacent and satis ed simply by imagining a better world for ourselves, doing nothing to achieve that vision. On the other hand, dreams that are accompanied by us mentally berating ourselves, because we are not reaching a goal as quickly as we think we should, are equally detrimental. Our self-critics are the most brutal naysayers we will ever face, and they are often the voice stopping us.

We the People: The soul of America

e sweet spot in dreams and goals comes in the combination of imagination and action. It is in that zone where we both celebrate advances and recognize areas where improvement is needed that dreams can change our world. My hope for you is that in your struggle, whatever it is, you will dream big, take steps toward your dream, and celebrate every motion forward.

Jim Roome lives in Arvada with his wife, Beth. He spent 34 years in public education. Lessons learned from the one two punch of being diagnosed with MS shortly before his best friend was diagnosed with terminal cancer led him into a new pursuit as a freelance writer and speaker. He uses his life experiences and love of stories to inspire, educate and encourage local, national and international audiences. Contact him at jim.roome@gmail.com.

certing enough, but there’s a more sinister aspect of time today: It’s been monetized. Time is money! And as the old maxim goes, waste not, want not. Except that time isn’t like other items you can waste then later replenish, assuming you’re a uent. Unlike other commodities, you can’t restock time. It keeps ticking no matter if you spend yours dawdling or working feverishly.

Ticking. ink of how that correlates to time. Ticking of a clock, although nowadays clocks rarely tick. ey used to beginning with the invention of the mechanized time piece. Before that, people referenced a sun dial, which worked, of course, only on sunny days. But before either of them, time as we know it didn’t exist. Nature ruled. Modern time isn’t just a commodity that can be measured, apportioned, or spent, however. We moderns have developed a psychological and emotional relationship with it. For example, it can drag on or y by. Paradoxically though, they generally cause the opposite impact of what our behavior yearns for. Time drags when we’re bored, impatient, or in a hurry. It ies when we’re engaged in something meaningful like working on a craft, reading a book, or hiking a trail. Or watching the sun rise or set.

In her short book “Time,” Polishborn Eva Ho man dissects Americans’ relation to time. Having grown up under communist rule in post-WWII Eastern Europe, she has the advantage of perspective on a number of angles. ere, she says, time crawled, but here time is everything, particularly money. And they’re intricately interwoven.

In America, wealth as a barometer of standing—success—increasingly has noxious consequences at the personal level. Ho man posits the pressure for upward mobility with its accompanying characteristics including extreme competition and shame for not making it big with salaries, promotions, houses— the list goes on—is a serious stress inducer. Her point resonated with me because of a conversation I had with someone that’s etched in my memory. He said he was “driven” when it came to his lifestyle choices and career success.

“Really,” I replied. “Driven is passive voice, which means something must be driving you. What is it?” at exchange happened when he was in his thirties, but now in middle age, he’s happily questioning that.

But the problem with commoditizing time doesn’t reside solely at the personal level. It carries over to cultural, ethnic, and racial attitudes that foster stereotypical assumptions and assertions about di erent groups’ practices and work ethic. And those are injurious and can be lethal for a democratic society.

Ho man cites Romanian poet Carmen Firan, who likewise grew up in the gray communist world. Firan posits in America it’s sold everywhere and is even included in our throwaway parting line—Have a nice day—used to get a customer to hurry along.

“ e Soul,” Firan suggests, “is lying lonely somewhere on a shrink’s chair, in front a computer screen or in a cell phone.” She wrote that in 2008, which adds an ironic twist to the old saw that says the more things change, the more they stay the same.

Jerry Fabyanic is a former Clear Creek Courant columnist and author of “Sisyphus Wins” and “Food for ought: Essays on Mind and Spirit.”

The sweet science behind parade lineups

Ask any parade organizer what the hardest part of the job is, and most will not say permits, police coordination, or porta-potties — they will say lineup placement.

GUEST COLUMN

Because no matter how long the route or how big the crowd is, one thing remains true every single year — everyone wants to be rst.

Ed C. Tomlinson

Who’s up front and why it matters

Every entry believes they have a reason to lead the parade. And truth be told, many of them do.

To help people understand the challenge, I sometimes use a small demonstration. I take a blank sheet of paper and tear o a small piece for di erent groups. “ at is for the politicians. ey have an appointment to go to. is one is for the kids. ey need access to restrooms and shade by the halfway mark, and they cannot stand still for long before the parade starts. ese entries also run booths at the festival, so they have to nish early and get set up. e bands have a competition or another gig after this. e sports teams? ey have a game to get to. e classic cars? ey might overheat by the end.”

And what is left? One lone strip for the horses. Just enough space to keep the manure at the tail end of the parade — right where it belongs.

The real goal: flow, fairness, and fun

Of course, not everyone can be rst, and once you realize that, you begin to understand the art of building a parade.

It is not about ego, but about the experience. It is about making it great for every spectator along the route. We carefully balance high-energy acts with slower visual entries, loud marching bands spaced far enough apart, and crowd favorites staggered to keep interest high. Our goal is to make sure that no matter where someone sits on the curb, they feel like they got front-row seats. Many don’t realize that it is often better to be toward the middle or end of the parade. As the event rolls on, more spectators show up, especially as word spreads about what is coming down the street. e crowd builds, the excitement grows, and your moment might land right when the energy is peaking.

Jim Roome

JERRY FABYANIC

Columnist

Break bread at Bell Projects

Bread often feels less like a food and more like an elemental fact of life. Practically every culture has their own form of bread and along with water, it’s treated as one of the basic elements of life.

All the meanings of bread are explored in the Bell Projects’, 2822 E. 17th Ave. in Denver, second e Bread Show, which is on display through Sunday, Aug. 3. e biennial exhibition features 25 artists working in a range of styles, from sculpture, painting, ber, and photography to collage, installation and mixed media, all exploring the power of the food. “ ere’s something so simple about bread, but when you think about it, it has so much cultural and family signicance,” said Lindsey Bell, curatorial director at Bell Projects. “ e artists went really deep with the idea of bread — they just took it and ran with it.”

OBITUARIES

COMING ATTRACTIONS

prieve you need with Untethered. It features the work of Sabin Aell, Derrick Breidenthal, eresa Clowes, George Kozmon and Sara Sanderson, all of whom provide an oasis with works “inspired by wide-open landscapes, elemental textures and organic rhythms,” according to provided information. If you’re looking for a bit of a mini vacation, this is your exhibit. And don’t miss the opening reception from 5 to 8 p.m. on Friday, July 18. Details are available at https://www. walker neart.com/.

Make the Trip to Oz at Littleton Town Hall Arts Center

is year’s participating artists come from Denver and beyond and include Miguel Aguilar, Tramaine Gardner, Christy Pyle and Brandon Vargas. e show was originally launched in 2023 and nd artists re ecting on themes as diverse as “sustenance, family rituals, food politics, labor, nostalgia, and joy,” according to provided information.

“It’s wonderful to see so many di erent interpretations on display. e exhibit moves from more serious interpretations to fun puns and plays on words,” Bell said. “Bread can mean so many things, including money, so there’s a lot of creative freedom. e artists took a lot of care to create something meaningful.” Bell added that some of the works on display get particularly powerful, tackling contemporary concerns like the politics of consumption, communal rituals and the layered symbolism bread carries across cultures.

No matter what your personal feelings are about bread, the hope is visitors come away thinking di erently about the food and what it means to their lives.

“We hope that when people leave, they’re will be something new on their mind when they next interact with bread. It’s something so simple, but it’s also a universal connector that binds us all together,” Bell said. “ is is my favorite show we do and it’s a real treat to put on an exhibition like this.”

More information is available at www. bell-projects.com

Take a Vacation from Life at Walker Fine Art

To say we’re living in stressful times would be the biggest of understatements. Add that to the fact that the summer is so busy and hot, and we could all use a little calm and quiet.

Denver’s Walker Fine Art Gallery, 300 West 11th Ave. No. A, has just the re-

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People are never going to tire of the story of “ e Wizard of Oz,” and there are all kinds of versions of the tale to cater to every audience. e Littleton Town Hall Arts Center is bringing a youth perspective to the fairytale with “ e Wizard of Oz Jr.”

e show runs at the Center, 2450 Main St. in Littleton, from Friday, July 18 through Saturday, the 26th. Performances are at 7 p.m. on the 18th and 26th and 11 a.m. Monday through Friday. Presented by the Teen Intensive eater Program, the story of Dorothy, Toto, Tinman, Scarecrow and the Cowardly Lion comes to delightful life as they journey down the Yellow Brick Road to the Emerald City. Get tickets at https:// townhallartscenter.org/event/wizardof-oz-jr-performances/.

Clarke’s Concert of the Week — Alabama Shakes at Red Rocks

e Alabama Shakes only released two albums in the 2010s, but still managed to make an enormous impact on the alt-rock world. Fronted by powerhouse vocalist Brittany Howard, the band wonderfully blended classic rock, blues and soul, and the end result was both familiar and new. e group has been on hiatus since 2018 but they’re working on new music and are getting back on the road.

e Alabama Shakes are coming to Red Rocks, 18300 W. Alameda Parkway in Morrison, at 8 p.m. on Sunday, July 20. ey’ll be joined by Lee Fields, a fantastic R&B singer. is is a concert many people have been eagerly awaiting, so don’t miss out. Get tickets at www.axs.com.

Clarke Reader’s column on culture appears on a weekly basis. He can be reached at Clarke.Reader@hotmail.com.

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• Letters advocating for a political candidate should focus on that candidate’s qualifications for o ce. We cannot publish letters that contain unverified negative information about a candidate’s opponent. Letters advocating for or against a political candidate or ballot issue will not be published within 12 days of an election.

• Publication of any given letter is at our discretion. Letters are published as space is available.

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Edwin N “Doc” (Kirsten Huntley) Running May 20, 1931 - June 21, 2025

DR. EDWIN NELS RUNNING, JR. Edwin Nels Running, Jr. passed away June 21, 2025, in Highlands Ranch, CO at the age of 94. Edwin was born May 20, 1931, to Edwin and Margaret Running in Des Moines, Iowa. After relocating to Oelwein, Iowa in 1936, Edwin graduated from Oelwein High School in 1949 and enlisted in the Navy as a Seaman Apprentice (SA) in which he served during the Korean War. He graduated from the State University of Iowa— now known as the University of Iowa — after his military service and pursued his passion for medicine attending the Des Moines University College of Osteopathic Medicine, where he received his Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) degree. Edwin then served as a family medical doctor in the Arvada area for over 50 years. He volunteered at the Wheat

Ridge Police Department for over a decade participating in various committees and events throughout the community. He was an avid hunter and sherman and enjoyed time at his cabin in Fort Smith, Montana. Tying ies was a treasured part of his y- shing journey. Edwin was a lifelong fan of the Iowa Hawkeyes and enjoyed attending the Denver Bronco games with family. He loved spending time with his daughters and grandchildren and was a beloved member of a large, extended family. His life was con rmation to the importance of family, both near and far. Later in retirement, Edwin moved to Wind Crest Senior Living Community in Highland Ranch, CO. He enjoyed meeting with his Wind Crest friends for dinner A military/law enforcement service will be held on July 21, 2025, at 9:00 am at Fort Logan National Cemetery.

Clarke Reader

Mines teams win RMAC awards for academic excellence

Men’s XC, indoor track & field teams honored at conference banquet

BY CORINNE WESTEMAN CORINNE@COTLN.ORG

e national title-winning Colorado School of Mines men’s cross-country runners aren’t just at the top of the podium.

ey’re at the top of the classroom, too.

e Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference recently announced the 2024-25 Brechler Award winners, recognizing the top-performing academic teams across the conference’s 22 sponsored sports.

e Mines men’s cross country and men’s indoor track & eld teams were among the winners.

Regis and Colorado Mesa led the member universities, with four recipient teams each. Chadron State followed with three, and Mines tied Black Hills State and Westminster with two each.

e Mines men’s cross country team’s win is the program’s rst since the award was established in 2012-13, the Orediggers con rmed in a recent press release.

e two Mines teams and the other the Brechler Award-winning teams were scheduled to be recognized at the July 10 RMAC awards banquet in Colorado Springs.

is year’s Brechler Awards, named after former RMAC Commissioner Paul W. Brechler, was based on the highest team GPA from the 2024-25 academic year, the RMAC described in its press release.

e team GPA includes all student-

athletes who were on the institution’s NCAA eligibility list, and is calculated by dividing the total quality points for each semester by the total number of credits.

e Mines men’s cross country team produced a 3.595 GPA, Mines Athletics con rmed, while the men’s indoor track & eld team had a 3.563 GPA — winning its second-straight Brechler Award and fth overall.

Several Orediggers compete on both

teams, as well as on the outdoor track & eld team.

In fall 2024, the Mines men’s cross country team went undefeated on the race course. e Orediggers swept the RMAC and NCAA Regional titles and eventually won their fourth NCAA Division II championship in 10 years.

en, for the indoor track & eld season, the Orediggers had their best-ever nish at the NCAA Division II champi-

onships with six individual podium nishes and a third-place team trophy.

Right now, the Mines runners are on summer break, but o cial practices resume next month. en, both the men’s and women’s cross country teams kick o their 2025 competition schedule Sept. 20 at Denver’s Washington Park. For more information, including Colorado School of Mines’ 2025-26 athletic calendar, visit MinesAthletics.com.

The Colorado School of Mines men’s track & field team celebrates taking third place at the NCAA Division II indoor championships March 13-15 in Indianapolis. This is the best-ever finish for a Mines track & field team at a national event. PHOTOS

Family, nonprofit healthcare organizations discuss impacts of potential cuts

BY ISABEL GUZMAN IGUZMAN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Tim and Kara Norick of the Littleton area adopted their second-youngest son of six children, Malakai, from China in 2016, when he was almost 3 years old.

Malakai was found on a bridge in China at just days old in dire medical condition and was rushed to a hospital in Shanghai, where he was diagnosed with severe pneumonia, organ failure and other complex medical conditions.

After almost three years in an orphanage, Malakai was adopted and brought to join his new family near Littleton.

After being treated at Children’s Hospital Colorado, Malakai was diagnosed with Opitz G/BBB Syndrome — a rare condition a ecting the entire midline of his body.

“ ink about anything that crosses through your midline like your digestive system, your trachea, your lungs, even your eyes and your nose, are all impacted by the syndrome,” Tim Norick said.

Now almost 12, Malakai has undergone several surgeries and treatments, and even received a custom-built larynx, or “voice box.”

e Noricks have private health insurance to keep up with Malakai’s medical costs and use Medicaid, or government issued health insurance, to supplement.

“Children’s Hospital gave us a caseworker o the bat and we were very grate-

ful for that because they were able to do a lot of the front work (setting up) Medicaid support (which) we’ve had since the very beginning,” Kara Norick said.

Medicaid helped cover costs for Malakai’s growth hormone medication, something the Noricks’ private insurance wouldn’t pay for.

Additionally, Kara Norick said their primary insurance paid for feeding tubes, but not for Malaki’s Malone tube, a small tube that empties bowels. Medicaid paid for Malakai’s Malone tube equipment.

Because of the several times Medicaid was able to cover costs for Malakai’ health, the Noricks are avid supporters of preserving Medicaid.

As part of Children’s Hospital Association’s Family Advocacy Day, the Norick family recently traveled to Washington, D.C., with 60 other patients and their families to advocate for preserving Medicaid amid the potential cuts being debated in Congress. Kara Norick said she was impressed with how legislators spoke with Malakai and made him feel valued.

“It was a breath of fresh air to see how truly bipartisan things can be,” she said.

Medicaid under the ‘big, beautiful bill’ e budget consolidation bill, H.R.1, commonly referred to as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, was introduced by House Republicans. It aims to “reduce taxes, reduce or increase spending for various federal programs, increase the statutory debt limit, and otherwise address agencies and programs throughout the federal government,” according to the bill’s language.

Tim and Kara Norick and their son, Malakai, traveled to Washington, D.C., to advocate for Medicaid. COURTESY OF CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL COLORADO

will strengthen “the integrity of Medicaid by eliminating waste, fraud and abuse.”

Kara Norick said she worries about keeping Malakai on his necessary medications as he gets older.

“We are proponents of trying to be as independent as you can,”

Kara Norick said. “But unless I am making (the medicine), administering it, doing everything, it’s seen as: ‘oh, he’s independent, he doesn’t

The local Medicaid battle

For Doctors Care, a nonpro t clinic in Littleton, the cuts to patients’ Medicaid coverage could cost the clinic thousands. e

organization is currently losing $20,000 per month in Medicaid funds from the now-ended Public Health Emergency’s Continuous Coverage Unwind that was established in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

said while the clinic will continue its mission of serving all patients regardless of insurance status, the lack of income has pushed the facility to rely on donations.

“Charitable giving can be just as volatile sometimes as whatever is happening in politics and the stock market,” Hockaday said.

Kleinman said Doctors Care’s partners with other nonpro ts that o er resources for food, housing and community engagement are also in a vulnerable position.

“In previous years when budgets have been in crisis, there might be one partner that is in a dip,” she said. “But what we’re seeing now is that there’s really no part of the community safety net that isn’t under attack. at’s very impactful to the patients we serve.”

Since H.R.1 would also seek to decrease federal spending on SNAP, Kleinman said she is worried about people losing food resources, which would a ect the health of many. Patients who have access to nutritious food, have housing and are employed are easier to care for than when they wait too long to see a doctor due to medical costs and become very sick, according to Kleinman.

Lee said in 2023, when the Public Health Emergency Unwind ended, 800,000 Coloradans lost Medicaid coverage. According to the Urban Institute, at least 120,000 Coloradans are expected to lose coverage due to the introduction of Medicaid work requirements alone, with more likely mistakenly disenrolled. “When people can’t access health care, they’re getting sicker until they get care, usually at the emergency department … people shouldn’t wait until they’re terribly sick to get care — and when it’s the most expensive care,” she said.

e cost of expensive medical intervention that is not compensated begins a ripple e ect on the healthcare system, Lee said.

“Having our members lose coverage is painful and it’s also painful to know that our providers will not be able to access the kinds of revenues that they need in order to stay a oat to continue serving their communities,” she said.

Both Lee and Kleinman said they are “weathering the storm of uncertainty” each day, waiting to see if the bill passes and how soon changes will be ordered. ey addressed the perception that Medicaid is an abused welfare resource.

Ranging from tax cuts to implementing new work requirements to qualify for Medicaid and SNAP, the bill narrowly passed in the Senate on July 1 and went back to the House of Representatives for another vote.

e Congressional Budget O ce estimated that H.R.1 would decrease federal Medicaid spending by $793 billion because of new work requirements that the o ce said would cut insurance coverage for 10.3 million people nationwide.

According to WhiteHouse.gov, the bill

e clinic doesn’t turn away anyone who can’t a ord a visit and uses a sliding fee scale, for which the price of services and medication are adjusted to what a patient can pay. Currently, 30% of Doctors Care’s patients are uninsured.

“We’re going to see another 5-to-15% of people who will become uninsured, and that just places so much pressure on the overall healthcare system,” said Bebe Kleinman, CEO of Doctors Care.

Elizabeth Hockaday, Doctors Care’s development and marketing director,

Hockaday said the stress put on the healthcare system then impacts nurses, doctors and other hospital sta who become quickly burned out from treating an in ux of sick and diseased patients.

Colorado Access is a nonpro t public sector health plan that exclusively serves public programs like Medicaid and children’s health insurance. Colorado Access CEO Annie Lee said the company acts as a connection point between the state, Medicaid providers and its members.

“ e work requirements in the reconciliation bill is a huge concern,” she said. “ is is a big administrative burden to be placed on states.”

“Medicaid saves lives,” Kleinman said. “We judge what self-su ciency looks like and most of us are not in a position to be judging others.”

Lee echoed the importance of Medicaid for children: “We know cases of kids born with severe developmental delays and diseases that are very di cult and expensive to treat, and if not for Medicaid, they wouldn’t be able to go on and live their lives.”

For Malakai and his parents, Medicaid lls in the gaps that primary insurance can’t.

“Medicaid can provide life-a rming care that Malakai would not have otherwise,” Tim Norick said.

More Red Rocks Ranch homeowners left high and dry

People waiting to close on homes with no water in development

BY JANE REUTER JANE@COTLN.ORG

As another 90-degree July day begins, a watering truck makes its way slowly around the Red Rocks Ranch neighborhood, a crew of three stopping to water each young tree.

e grass around the trees, owers and landscaping on nearby banks has long since browned and withered, and the crew’s only hope is to save the saplings, they said.

In the nearby park, a cherry red water slide, the centerpiece of a children’s splash pad and playground, is fenced o and silent, with no water to serve it.

And around the Denver metro area and beyond, a reported 30 prospective Red Rocks Ranch homeowners are living in hotels, Airbnbs and with family members, waiting to close on new homes that have no water taps to serve them.

Confused buyers, who say they are getting minimal information about the delay, are exchanging theories on a private Facebook page and pointing ngers in every direction — including at the Town of Morrison, the Mount Carbon Metro District and builder Lennar Homes.

“I’ve been continually told when I talk to Lennar that it’ll be another two weeks,” said Mary Ann Mcshan, who signed a contract to purchase a Red Rocks Ranch home in March. “ ey say the town of Morrison is going to vote, and then they say, ‘Well, they didn’t approve it. It’ll be another two weeks.’”

Information is scarce

Red Rocks Ranch is not part of incorporated Morrison, but the small town of less than 400 residents is the source of water and wastewater for what will someday be a community more than four times its size. Mount Carbon agreed to build the town infrastructure required to meet the development’s needs, but hasn’t yet completed all that work or nished a required update to its intergovernmental agreement with Morrison.

Despite the information Mcshan says she was given, the town has not posted any recent agenda items on the IGA, or scheduled any special meetings on the issue. Morrison’s attorney is, however, meeting regularly with Mount Carbon’s legal counsel on the issue.

“I don’t understand why it’s so secretive,” Mcshan said. “ e homeowners are su ering and the parties involved don’t seem to care that much. ey’re not communicating with us, and homes are still being sold.

“I could probably get out of my contract but that’s not necessarily what I want. I love the home. I just want information.”

It’s the second time in less than a year that prospective Red Rocks Ranch homeowners have been left in limbo as the metro district continues negotiating for water with Morrison.

Holding firm

But this time, the town is holding rm — as it warned it would in 2024 — on completion of the IGA between it and Mount Carbon, the agency charged with providing water and sewer to the unincorporated development.

“ e town is disappointed that future

2024, granting the district’s request to convert two irrigation meters into 39 residential taps. at allowed 39 homeowners who had also been unable to close to move into the development.

One town trustee issued a warning to Mount Carbon and Lennar at the Oct. 9 special meeting.

“You don’t make promises about water if you don’t have the infrastructure to deliver it,” he said. “I will be pressing the other members of my board to vote ‘no’ for future water taps if we don’t have the infrastructure to deliver it.”

Wearing thin

But Mcshan said Lennar told her a different story.

“ e salesperson I worked with said there were ve remaining water meters, and if I went under contract that week, I’d get one of those,” she said. “I had the impression I’d be able to close by midMay. I’ve since learned, it sounds like those ve meters were temporary, and used for testing.”

McShan, who sold a home in Denver and is living in her Winter Park condo as she waits to close, said the lack of information is wearing on her and the other prospective homeowners. She also said she and other homeowners are not being compensated for the cost of their temporary living quarters.

homeowners have been put into this situation yet again,” Morrison Town Manager Mallory Nassau wrote in a July 2 email. “ e town has been working diligently with MCMD on a restated IGA … ere are currently signi cant infrastructure improvements that must be completed prior to the town issuing additional taps.” e issue is not new or unknown. As part of its obligations, Mount Carbon paid to improve the town’s wastewater treatment plant and for the construction of a new water treatment plant.  But the water plant is fed by untreated

water from Bear Creek, and while the current supply is enough for Morrison, it isn’t enough for the neighboring development. To tap into additional town water rights, Mount Carbon must pay to build a new diversion on Bear Creek west of the plant, along with a pump station and pipeline to transport the water.

e issue was made clear last fall when the town put the brakes on issuing more taps, saying it’s not obligated to do so until the 2008 IGA is rewritten — an e ort that’s been under way for years. It nevertheless held a special meeting in October

“I want to be informed, and to know I’m not making a mistake,” she said. “I feel as someone who’s about to spend a very large amount of money on a home, the homeowners are not the ones who should be caught in the middle of this.”

While Sutton — the trustee who warned Red Rocks Ranch in public about the issuance of future water taps — recently left the board, the town remains committed to ensuring the IGA is in place before it agrees to issue more taps.

“ e original IGA dates back to 2008 and limits the issuance of taps based on MCMD completing infrastructure improvements,” wrote Nassau, adding those improvements include ensuring the “town’s water and wastewater systems would be adequately upgraded prior to serving end users.

“We are committed to providing water and sewer to Red Rocks Ranch, noting that this requires MCMD to meet their infrastructure obligations, so we may safely and reliably provide the service to all users.”

David O’Leary, an attorney for Mount Carbon, said in October 2024 that he believed the new IGA would be ready in about a month.

Nine months later, it remains un nished and unapproved.

And the conversation about its irrigation meters to residential taps has left Red Rocks Ranch with no water for its landscaping or splash pad.

Lennar’s Red Rocks Ranch website says it is “actively selling” and o ering “incredible deals.”

A representative of homebuilder Lennar Homes, who identi ed himself only as “Aaron,” could not explain why Lennar continues to sell homes despite its awareness of the ongoing water problems. He said only that they are “caught in the middle,” and hoping for a swift resolution.

None of the Mount Carbon Metro District’s board members returned requests for comment.

“I don’t know who’s at fault,” Mcshan said. “But I do wonder, what was the situation with the IGA? What did they know while contracts were being signed?”

A Red Rocks Ranch monument sign stands next to the completed children’s playground and splash pad. With no water available, the area is double fenced and unavailable to use.

A team from Golden’s Environmental Landworks, hired to water Red Rocks Ranch’s landscaping, waters young trees near the development’s entrance July 9.

PHOTOS BY JANE REUTER

Chevron faces accusations in ‘blowout’

Weld County families displaced after ‘unprecedented’ incident

BY CHASE WOODRUFF NEWSLINE COLORADO

Colorado regulators have launched an enforcement action against oil giant Chevron for an April well “blowout” that caused evacuations and closures in a community in eastern Weld County.

O cials with the Energy and Carbon Management Commission said that some residents remain displaced from their homes in tiny Galeton, an unincorporated town of 250 people located about 10 miles northeast of Greeley, nearly three months after the incident at Chevron’s Bishop well pad.

e well failure caused a high-pressure ow of oil, gas and water to spew from the site for ve days before emergency crews were able to bring it under control. With millions of gallons of uid released, it’s believed to be one of the largest oil and gas spills in state history, and the resulting plume spread dangerous levels of toxic chemicals as far as two miles away, according to data from Colorado State University researchers.

ECMC sta will calculate penalties against Chevron that will then be adjudicated by commissioners. Greg Duranleau, the ECMC’s deputy director of operations, said the penalties were “one piece of the nancial impacts this incident may have on Chevron.”

“ ere may be civil settlements for damage, there’s a possibility for other agencies to enforce their regulations, and of course, there’s the cost of the response and cleanup,” Duranleau told commissioners during a special public hearing on ursday.

Four of 14 families that were evacuated from the Galeton area after the blowout remain displaced from their homes, according to Chevron.

“We continue to actively work with the remaining residents on the next steps, including getting access to their properties to conduct assessments and cleaning,” the company’s website says.

An extensive cleanup and remediation e ort is underway, a process that Chevron estimates could take up to ve years.

ousands of environmental samples have been taken across a 7-square-mile “assessment area” centered on the well site, sta told commissioners.

“I can say with certainty that this is signi cant and unprecedented during my tenure, not just in terms of volumes released … but in terms of complexity, in terms of scale of impact to environmental services, as well as residents,” said Je Robbins, who has served as chair of the ve-member ECMC board of commis-

sioners since 2020.

A so-called notice of alleged violation issued by ECMC sta to Chevron subsidiary Noble Energy lists six di erent breaches of the agency’s rules, initiating what is likely to be a lengthy regulatory enforcement action. e notice accuses Chevron of violating water quality standards, breaking employee safety rules, “fail(ing) to engineer and operate all equipment within the manufactur-

er’s recommended speci cations,” and more.

An initial analysis completed by Chevron earlier this month identi ed the root cause of the incident as “improper assembly” of on-site equipment by a contractor. A total of 16 oil and gas wells were planned to be drilled on the Bishop site as part of a development plan approved by the ECMC in September 2022.

As part of the enforcement process,

“I am optimistic that Chevron will work with us through the enforcement process to bring a timely resolution,” ECMC Director Julie Murphy said in a statement. “And I am grateful to the many folks at Chevron who are working diligently to remediate the signi cant impacts of this incident.” is story is from Colorado Newsline. Used by permission. For more, and to support the news organization, visit coloradonewsline.com.

Footprints in a pond close to Willow Creek by County Roads 72 and 51 on May 6, 2025, near where Chevron’s Bishop well blew out in Galeton on April 6, 2025. Much of the work around the well involves protecting the creek and other waterways from liquids that spewed from the well for nearly five days. FILE PHOTO

Rockies fans reminded, baseball is more than winning

Fireworks shows, Military Appreciation headline a weekend of baseball

BY JOHN RENFROW

JOHN@COTLN.ORG

To cap an extravagant Fourth of July weekend on the diamond, the Colorado Rockies went all out to celebrate local veterans and military members with a parade on July 6.

It was the nale of a packed weekend of promotions, including back-to-back reworks shows following the rst two games against the Chicago White Sox on July 4 and 5.

Despite losing the rst two series games by a combined score of 13-5, the Rockies rallied on Sunday to win 6-4 in front of the home crowd. In the face of a brutal season, Colorado fans arrived in droves to root on their local team and enjoy some holiday festivities.

Plus, the weather cooperated to make for a beautiful long weekend.

e Military Appreciation game on Sunday was opened by a parade around the out eld honoring past and present military members. Players shook hands with veterans in gratitude and reverence as everyone took a momentary step back from sports.

ere was also a pregame salute from multiple military branches, a national anthem performance by a veteran in uniform and an on- eld presentation of an enormous American ag.

Master Sergeant Christopher Nemeir

A near-sold-out crowd celebrates the Fourth of July at Coors Field with a fireworks show after the game. Despite the loss on July 5 to Chicago, Rockies fans packed the house and stayed for the show.

was honored as the Hero of the Game.

In a back-and-forth game full of explosive innings, home runs from Michael Toglia and Mickey Moniak helped push Colorado over the edge to end the homestand with a win. Moniak also had a triple and an RBI double in the game, carrying the Rockies to a victory.

Catcher Hunter Goodman was also announced as a 2025 MLB All-Star, as fans celebrated the news on the jumbotron during the game.

ough the Rockies are a lowly 21-70 (as of July 8), Colorado fans knew there was no place they’d rather be on the Fourth of July than Coors Field.

TAYLOR WRIGHT

A massive on-field display of the American flag opened the Military Appreciation Game before the Colorado Rockies took on the Chicago White Sox on July 6. Colorado won 6-4. JOHN RENFROW

Thu 7/17

Magoo @ 6pm

New Terrain Brewing Company, 16401 Table Mountain Pkwy, Golden Costa @ 8pm Larimer Lounge, 2721 Larimer St, Denver

Fri 7/18

Hex Cougar & Malixe @ Temple @ 10pm Temple Denver, 1136 Broadway, Denver

Sploinky Rave @ 10pm Meow Wolf Denver, Denver

Sat 7/19

Black Wands: GOOD:AM w/ Estiva @ 11am Town Hall Collaborative, 525 Santa Fe Dr, Den‐ver

The Jauntee: Down By The River Music Festival @ 3pm

Rodrigo y Gabriela @ 7pm

Cactus Jack's Saloon, 4651 County Hwy 73, Evergreen Lingo @ 5pm Tree House, 2719 Larimer St, Denver

J.Carmone Feat. Paranoid Image & Cosmic Smoke Dragon @ 5:30pm Larimer Lounge, 2721 Larimer St, Denver

Sun 7/20

Quavo @ 7pm Fillmore Auditorium, 1510 Clarkson St, Denver

Bison Bone @ 9pm

Guttermouth @ 12pm Outdoors at the New National Western Center Yards, 5004 National Western Drive, Denver

Gothic Theatre, 3263 S Broadway, En‐glewood

Wed 7/23

Arvada Center for the Arts and Human‐ities, 6901 Wadsworth Blvd, Arvada

Mon 7/21

Week 6 @ 8:30am / $75 Jul 21st - Jul 25th Milheim House, 1515 Race Street, Denver. 303519-8062

Sounds Exciting! The Kris Lager Band with Jenny Shawhan @ 5pm

Heritage Lakewood Belmar Park (for‐merly Lakewood Heritage Center), 801 S Yarrow St, Lakewood

Teague Starbuck @ 5pm

Beau Jo's Arvada, 7525 W 53rd Ave, Arvada

Last Train To Juarez: The Englewood Tavern, South Broadway, Englewood, Colorado, USA - Englewood, CO @ 5:30pm The Englewood Tavern, 4386 S Broadway, En‐glewood

Monsieur Periné w/Fruta Brutal @ 6:30pm Denver Botanic Gardens, 1007 York St, Denver

Float Like A Buffalo: Evergreen Summerfest @ 12:30pm Buchanan Park Recreation Center, 32003 Ellingwood Trail, Evergreen

Mumford & Sons w/ Madison Cunningham @ 8pm Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Morrison

Tue 7/22

molly santana @ 7pm

Marquis Theater, 2009 Larimer St, Den‐ver

The Railbenders: Coohills Beats on the Creek @ 7:30pm Coohills, 1400 Wewatta St, Denver

Hope MacGregor at Lot 46 Music Bar @ 7pm Lot 46 Music Bar, 5302 W 25th Ave, Edgewater

Chris Isaak @ 8pm

Paramount Theatre, 1621 Glenarm Place, Den‐ver

CROWSSUPDRO ELZZ

1. TELEVISION: In the show “Ted Lasso,” what does the sign over the locker room doorway say?

2. ANIMAL KINGDOM: How many words are dogs believed to understand, on average?

3. U.S. STATES: Which two states don’t observe Daylight Savings Time?

4. LITERATURE: In the “Harry Potter” book series, how many balls are used in a Quidditch match?

5. GENERAL KNOWLEDGE: Which company owns car makers Porsche and Audi?

6. GEOGRAPHY: Which country is home to Lake Como?

7. MOVIES: What are the names of Cinderella’s stepsisters?

8. ACRONYMS: What does the computer acronym DOS stand for?

9. MEDICAL: What is the condition called

TrIVIa

solar erythema?

10. PSYCHOLOGY: Someone su ering from alektorophobia is terri ed by what?

Answers

1. “Believe.”

2. Dogs generally know an average of 89 words and phrases, but the number can range from 15 to 215.

3. Hawaii and Arizona.

4. Four balls of three di erent types (the Qua e, two Bludgers and the Golden Snitch).

5. Volkswagen AG.

6. Italy.

7. Anastasia and Drizella.

8. Disk Operating System.

9. Sunburn.

10. Chickens.

(c) 2025 King Features Synd., Inc.

Crossword

MARKETPLACE

TOMLINSON

The smile behind the science

Yes, we use spreadsheets. Yes, we account for bathroom breaks, music volume and vehicle types. We even do walkthroughs to prevent awkward gaps.

But we also laugh because this is a good problem to have.

It means people care. It means they want to participate. It means they see this event as worth showing up for and showing o in.

So, if your group asks to be rst and we politely decline, please know that you are not alone. A lot of people want to lead, but everyone matters once the lineup starts to roll. And let us be honest, being sandwiched between a baton-twirling team and a brass band is not so bad either. Need help making your entry unforgettable? I would be happy to o er ideas.

Let us make your group a highlight, no matter where you fall in the lineup. is guest column was written by Ed C. Tomlinson, who is the Arvada Harvest Festival parade chair. He can be reached at edctomlinson@gmail.com.

BY MONTE WHALEY MONTE@COTLN.ORG

Thornton backs cities in their lawsuit against the state

e city of ornton this week sent a clear message of support to six home rule cities suing the State of Colorado and Gov. Jared Polis for overstepping onto local land use policies. Westminster is one of the cities that is part of the lawsuit.

e six cities claim that two bills passed in the 2024 Legislature violate the Colorado Constitution.

e cities are seeking an injunction against the enforcement of the legislation as well as an executive order from Polis.

“I think we’ve seen over the last

several years, many di erent attempts to take away home-rule authority,” ornton City Councilwoman Jessica Sandgren said Tuesday night. “We know what’s best for our city.”

Sandgren introduced a resolution backing the lawsuit, which the council passed unanimously. Mayor Jan Kulmann added she wanted the city to send a copy of the resolution to Polis.

e resolution targets House Bill 24-1304 – regarding minimum parking requirements- and House Bill 24-1313 – aimed at housing in transit-oriented communities – that purport to place statewide

mandates governing land use and zoning legislation on a limited group of home rule cities.

e resolution also cites Polis and his executive order “declaring that municipalities failing to comply with the …bills…will be deprioritized for competitive or discretionary funding opportunities, including grants, contracts, loans, and tax credits.”

e resolution states that the city of ornton “a rms its longstanding support of the powers granted by the Constitution of the State of Colorado, which include home rule authority over zoning and land use planning.”